Chapter 204
Chapter 204
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 204
Chapter Title: The Missing Knowledge Keeper
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The Cult cruiser touched down in a forest patch fairly distant from the nest I'd set up. The ground around the nest was simply too unstable for a landing.
Once it had settled, I sent the eight survivors outside the situation room. They had the task of clearing out the scattered corpses.
I slipped erosion tentacles into the depths of the situation room, sucking up the bodies one by one. That's when I noticed something off.
'No Knowledge Keeper?'
The Knowledge Keeper served as the Cult ship's core adjutant and chief technician.
True to their psychic powers, the Cult could transmit records and data stored in computers directly to individuals. That's why they lacked centralized data hubs like Mega Corp's archives or Star Union's Starlink database. If anything, the Empire's three great powers—the Prophets' Council—played a similar role.
In any case, Knowledge Keepers who boarded Cult vessels were experts who'd absorbed vast troves of info essential for voyages: combat tactics, navigation routes, ship schematics, intel on the Empire and rival factions, and more.
While other factions leaned heavily on their ship computers, the Cult integrated theirs with their Knowledge Keepers for seamless navigation support.
'As far as I know, every cruiser carries one.'
They rarely boarded patrol ships, but any destroyer-class or larger warship always had them.
Yet among the corpses littering the situation room, no Knowledge Keeper was to be found.
[Zzzt zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt (Where's the Knowledge Keeper?)]
｢Huh? Oh, the one I subdued with the Ice Wraith earlier. Should be inside the situation room.｣
The Mother of the Sky responded to my psychic ping from somewhere else in the ship. She was scouting for valuable gear worth looting. I rummaged through the bodies again after hearing her, but still no sign.
Knowledge Keepers looked identical to standard Cult outwardly, distinguished only by a special badge on their robes—an eye emblem that netizens often dubbed "Illuminati."
'Maybe they're mixed in with the others? Can't spot it.'
I was pawing through their clothing one by one when PS-111, hovering near the computer terminal, addressed me.
"What are you searching for?"
[Zzzzt zzt zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt (A corpse with an eye-shaped badge)]
"That corpse... I consumed it before the 'Aimorph' arrived."
[Zzt zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt (You ate it? When?)]
"While the 'middle child' was working at the computer. I failed to recognize its importance. My apologies."
PS-111 bowed low in contrition.
'Why would it do that? It's not like it.'
It was always yammering about energy resupply, sure, but it had never touched prey first. Even as a special unit, it remained under machine control—errors were unlikely.
And though its voice stayed that flat, monotone feminine tone laced with mechanical whirrs as always... something felt subtly off.
'Hmm.'
I fixed my gaze on it. PS-111's half-machine face betrayed no change. But the voice, the blank expression—both felt different.
If I had to describe the sensation seeping through that pristine white surface...
'Emotion?'
It had shown a sullen pout once when chewed out by No. 26, but that felt like programmed artifice tailored to the moment.
This, though? Far more human.
'A machine with human traits.'
As a cutting-edge Screamer model and commander-grade unit, it enjoyed considerable autonomy. Hard to say if this shift was by design or the stirrings of something new.
'Reminds me of No. 26.'
Early on with her, I'd wrestled with the same doubts. I'd chosen to observe, and that paid off big in the end.
'Let's keep watching.'
If it meant to deceive me, there were smoother ways than this clumsy act. The fact it hadn't suggested no ill intent.
After a moment's thought, I decided to let PS-111's "mistake" slide.
[Zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt (Be more careful next time)]
"Thank you."
With the Knowledge Keeper matter settled for now, I resumed devouring the corpses via erosion tentacles. Soon enough, the situation room was cleared. PS-111 and I exited the cruiser.
｢Big guy's out with his buddy.｣
｢What took you so damn long?｣
[Zzzt zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt (Had some business to handle)]
Outside, the Mother of the Sky and No. 26 waited for us.
The Mother of the Sky had slung the Demolisher over her right shoulder with a tether and strapped the Champion shield to her left wrist. It evoked a Temple Guardian's kit, minus the Dragonscale Suit.
Wolfs couldn't wear standard gear anyway. Their shapeshifting inflated their size twofold and warped their forms—ordinary clothes would shred instantly.
No. 26 toted a tentacle-laden backpack stuffed with spoils beside her.
[Zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt zzzzt (Let's head back to the nest)]
｢You mean the flap-flap fly thing?｣
[Zzt (Yeah)]
｢Ugh...｣
No. 26 loathed flight as ever. I crouched low, and she hopped aboard with bouncy steps. The Mother of the Sky, who shared none of her flight enthusiasm despite the name, sighed and clambered on behind.
With PS-111 aboard too, I soared into the skies.
'Short rest at the nest, then hunt fresh prey.'
My existence was out now. A clash with the Gallerons loomed close. Any pack would move to eliminate me.
The black Galleron band that banished Adhai wouldn't welcome a new rival.
Ham Ort's crew, having met me, might honor our accord and hold off... but no room for complacency. They could grow wary, thinking I'd target Adhai next.
'Meant to prep more, but no choice.'
Galleron packs were tricky foes, rivaling players. I'd aimed to claim ten-plus Apex traits before engaging, but plans changed.
'Clear the Sharkbears and those pests first.'
Beings that never descended to the surface post-hatching.
Sublime entities dubbed space whales.
Skywhales.
｢The Red Forest Lord...｣ ｢dead?｣
The Pure White Queen echoed the unbelievable news, and the white Galleron nodded.
How could a king hale just days ago drop dead so suddenly? Ham Ort couldn't make sense of it.
｢Ode Grad...｣ ｢did he kill it?｣
｢Nell Germa...｣ ｢denies...｣ ｢the king...｣ ｢already...｣ ｢dead.｣
He'd asked on a hunch, but no dice.
｢Brought...｣ ｢the body.｣
What the white female Nell Germa proffered was a mere wing shard from the Red Forest Lord. Ham Ort barely stifled a sigh at the sight.
Such a tiny fragment meant little. It implied scouring the planet for another red king lurking somewhere.
｢Ham Ort...｣ ｢commands...｣ ｢search for...｣ ｢new Red Forest Lord.｣
｢Nell Germa...｣ ｢opposes...｣ ｢kin...｣ ｢exhausted...｣ ｢need rest.｣
A youngling challenging the leader was unthinkable—especially Nell Germa, among the most obedient. Her dissent signaled dire straits.
Ham Ort had rebelled against Ode Grad partly to spare kin such overwork. Issuing a forced order here would make her no better.
｢Ham Ort...｣ ｢amends...｣ ｢Nell Germa...｣ ｢kin may rest easy.｣
｢Grateful.｣
Dismissing Nell Germa, Ham Ort racked his brains swiftly.
Her window was narrow. The brutal black dragon might spare them on a whim for now, but who knew how long?
Ode Grad stepping in would doom countless kin—even if she sacrificed herself.
Thus, elevate the Daughter of the Stars to savior first, and fast. Ham Ort clutched the wing shard and entered the nest.
In the vast cavern lay a tiny kin.
Grass-hued scales, smaller than water-hued younglings, with a plump tail for charm. She was Adhai, Daughter of the Stars.
Unlike their first meeting, white flecks the size of scattered pebbles now dotted her wings as she lifted her head.
｢Red Forest Lord...｣ ｢dead?｣
｢Yes.｣
Adhai spoke as if she'd known all along.
She'd lately honed fine psychic control, extending her senses beyond the cave to the surrounding forest.
As a mother, nothing beat seeing her daughter grow... yet joy soured. Adhai schemed escape at every chance.
｢Big Elder...｣ ｢hunting...｣ ｢certain.｣
｢Ham Ort denies. Red Forest Lord no weakling. Ugly kin can't hunt it.｣
｢Big Elder changed form... true form way cooler, stronger, strong!｣
That refrain since the hard-won snake king corpse. Ham Ort knew who Adhai meant by "Big Elder."
The grotesque kin present when he found Adhai.
As she recalled, the "Big Elder" looked so bizarre it barely passed for kin. Without similar communication, he'd have mistaken it for another beast.
Its hefty cranial horns weren't bad, but that was it. Puny build, unremarkable strength. A miracle Adhai survived tagging along with such frailty.
｢Kin forms can't change. Daughter of the Stars mistaken.｣
｢Wrong! Ham Ort wrong, clueless, totally clueless!｣
Her cheeky retort stirred an urge to swat her, but he restrained it and tossed the wing shard before her.
She clutched it in her forepaw, nibbling with tentacles, as Ham Ort declared:
｢Eat it. After... a place to go.｣
｢A place?｣
Hunting the Red Forest Lord now was impossible. Time to front-load the next task.
｢Hunt Sky King.｣
｢Sky King?｣
｢Ham Ort and Daughter of the Stars go together.｣
Devouring a Sky King would vault the Daughter of the Stars to his level in one leap. Ham Ort resolved to gamble.
If she truly was the savior...
She would fulfill the goal.
A cavern roiling with geothermal boils.
The floor gleamed with precious ores and gems; walls and ceiling brimmed with fragrant fruit clusters.
Opulently lavish even by nature's rare standards, its heart cradled the black lord in repose.
Coiled tight in slumber, it still exuded immense pressure.
Six curved horns crowned its head; wings loomed like storm clouds. Limbs and torso rippled with solid muscle; claws gleamed lightning-sharp.
He was the Black King, mighty Ode Grad.
As usual, geothermal warmth lulled him to sleep. But today felt off. Though deep in repose, his tail twitched restlessly.
Moments later, he snapped his head up. The cavern quaked with his stirrings.
｢What was that just now?｣
Ode Grad's eyes flickered with unease before steadying. A nightmare had jolted him mid-slumber.
In the dream, he saw it.
A kin lunging to sever his throat.
He'd vividly plummeted, headless mid-flight... yet the slayer's form stayed blurred.
Large or small? Unclear. Only certainty: its body was black.
｢...The future?｣
Ode Grad possessed one extraordinary gift.
Precognition—via dreams like this or visions.
Aware of it, he'd always evaded ominous futures. Survival this long would've been impossible otherwise.
Currently, just one entity fit for black-scaled ascension.
The white female who'd defied him.
He'd schemed to stunt kin growth. Somehow, that insolent one had unlocked molt conditions in secret.
Prophetic dreams foretold unrealized futures. Past patterns suggested ample time before manifestation. She was likely mid-molt.
Ode Grad summoned his white mate outside. As she entered, he commanded:
｢Ode Grad commands: Ready all kin. Purge the rebels.｣
The waiting ended.
Time to execute the long-ignored traitors.